Though Bruce Wayne imagined The Batman as a true champion of justice, not even the DC Comics superhero himself thought his righteous crusade would be able to survive through 10 of the darkest alternate futures. At such a young age, Bruce thought he had seen the worst when he suddenly witnessed the death of his loving parents. What he couldn't do as an innocent child, the Batman could do as an adult and try to save lives from the deadliest of criminals. But even the corruption lurking within Gotham has managed to push the Dark Knight beyond his limits and to his breaking point.
After years of immense studying and intense training, Bruce never imagined the very bat-like persona he created would end up manifesting a life of its own. Batman's self-righteous quest for vengeance would unexpectedly take a darker path that would steer Bruce's own soul closer to the abyss. After removing the cape and cowl, Bruce thought he could deal and fix whatever was hidden inside his cold and empty soul. The caped crusader had become so twisted in his own journey, that the very few people he loved and cared for were in danger.
10 The Last Knight On Earth
In writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo's Batman: The Last Knight On Earth, Bruce wakes up and discovers he has been incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. Bruce realizes from his faithful butler, Alfred Pennyworth, that his previous life as Batman doesn't exist. Alfred lied to Bruce and schemed this entire fake scenario because the truth was much more devastating. Gotham City has fallen with the rest of the world and succumbed to the apocalypse. Not only is Batman responsible for the end of the world, Bruce thinks he's actually talking to the Joker's decapitated head.
9 The Batman Who Laughs
In the crossover event, Dark Knights: Metal, Bruce discovered he will inevitably become a super-villain. There is no stopping the inevitable outcome as he will eventually become The Batman Who Laughs. A hybrid of the caped crusader and the Joker, this alternate Batman does not have a code against killing.
Bruce's very own nightmare has come to life as this alternate Batman witnessed the deaths of his Robins and Commissioner Jim Gordon. Death was only the beginning for Joker as he exposed his toxic laughing gas to Batman. The Batman Who Laughs has only murder on his mind as he resurrected the previous dead Robins into mini-Jokers.
8 Batman Beyond
In the year 2023, Gotham City has succumbed to its own misery, while forgetting the dark knight had existed. A street gang honors the horrifying legacy of the clown prince of crime, calling themselves The Jokerz. With his face wrinkling and his hair turning white, Bruce has retired from the crime-fighting business and become a recluse. All his friends and associates have left him, as Lucius Fox is the CEO of his own company and Barbara Gordon has replaced her father as Police Commissioner. The last time he put on the cape and cowl, Bruce picked up a gun and almost shot a common thug.
7 The Dark Knight Returns
Written by Frank Miller and illustrated by Klaus Janson, The Dark Knight Returns features an elderly Bruce Wayne driven insane by retirement. Since giving up the cape and cowl, Bruce has become obsessed with killing himself. To satisfy his suicidal urges, Bruce put himself behind the wheels of a speeding race car. On purpose, Bruce steered the race car and directly crashed into a wall. Unfortunately, Bruce did not die in the fiery crash and continued to plot ways into ending his life. With the Batman gone, crime is on the rise in Gotham City and the streets have become rampant with mutant gangs.
6 Batman: Dark Joker, The Wild
What would happen if the humanity of Bruce Wayne had suddenly disappeared and there was only Batman left? Doug Moench and Kelley Jones imagined the Dark Knight turning into a hideous monster after having been stripped of all his hopes and desires.
A hybrid between man and beast, the Batman became a fearsome winged creature after the Joker murdered his last living family member. Bruce had discovered all too late that he had a sister named Saressa, who was kept secret from him by his parents. With his sister gone, the Batman is an untamed monster living in the woods and living off the blood of animals.
5 Flashpoint Batman
When Barry Allen, the fastest man alive, decided to save his innocent mother from death, not only did The Flash alter the entire timeline, he also unintentionally murdered Bruce Wayne. A drastic change in the origin story, Bruce was shot at point-blank range by the mugger known as Joe Chill.
Upon witnessing the death of her son, Martha Wayne mentally collapsed and became twisted as the clown princess of crime. With his son dead and his wife gone insane, Thomas Wayne swore vengeance as the Batman and started hunting down criminals, shooting them dead with his two guns.
4 Batman #666
Set 15 years into the future, the city of Gotham has been torn apart by rampant terrorism and deadly plagues. With his father dead, Damian Wayne has to follow in Bruce's footsteps, pick up the mantle, and become the Batman of Tomorrow.
In Guy Major and Andy Kubert's apocalyptic vision, the end of the world is coming after the Anti-Christ murdered the five major crime bosses in Gotham. In order to prevent Armageddon, Damian has to make a deal with the ruler of Hell itself, the Prince of Darkness, but he has already his soul.
3 Batman: I, Joker
Bruce has managed to outlive his friends and enemies, even after reaching past the age of 60. The Joker was 92 years old when he had his final battle with the dark knight. Now as a maniacal tyrant, the caped crusader has become an unbeatable god to the obedient citizens of Gotham City.
Thanks to Doc Kilborn keeping him alive, the Batman now has control over crime by enforcing himself over the mob. In an annual televised ritual, Batman allows an everyday citizen to fight him in physical combat and challenge him for the throne of Gotham.
2 Batman: Year 100
Written and illustrated by Paul Pope, Batman: Year 100 follows the dark knight as he has become a wanted criminal in the year 2039. Gotham City has now become a totalitarian police state, where the everyday citizens are kept under nonstop surveillance. As the commissioner, the grandson of Jim Gordon has allowed his brutal police force to search houses and seize property without any warrant. Wanted for the possible murder of a federal agent, the Batman is on the run as Gordon wants to be the arresting officer to end the legend.
1 Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #2
The Wayne Foundation, established by Thomas and Martha Wayne, was supposed to help out the poor and less fortunate of Gotham City. But now, Gotham is now run by the corporate Wayne empire, led by a greedy and tyrannical Batman. Driven mad by the Scarecrow's fear gas, Batman rules with an iron fist as he enforces an orderly and docile society. Towards the end, Bruce realizes the error of his evil ways. In order for the citizens of Gotham to feel justice, Bruce sacrifices himself and allows them to murder to him in cold blood.